Taliban militants (file photo)

8am: Several Persian-speaking employees in government offices in the country have raised complaints about language discrimination by their superiors, many of whom are affiliated with the Taliban. They claim that their job security is jeopardized due to linguistic discrimination and that they could be dismissed at any time by the Taliban. These long-serving government employees note that key government positions, now predominantly controlled by Pashto-speaking Taliban, frequently pressure Persian-speaking employees to leave their jobs. Imposing ethnic and religious customs, such as wearing a cap, growing a beard, compulsory prayer attendance, forced Pashto communication, denial of essential leave, and excessive strictness, are some of the challenges specifically imposed on Persian-speaking employees. These government employees add that the poor economic conditions force them to endure all these pressures to keep their jobs, as their livelihoods depend on their government salaries, and they have no other means of survival in the current crisis if they lose their jobs. Click here to read more (external link).